The Comprehensive HandyWoman Toolkit

I was visiting a friend shortly after her father had passed, and she was coping with having to do all the things he used to do for her; reminders to change her car's oil, fixing a leaky pipe, patching walls, etc. Without her dad, she didn't have the basic tools, paired with a lifetime of knowledge, at her disposal. So when I went to visit her, I wanted to help her out with things around her home. A vintage clock she bought from me had been jostled in transit and needed to be repaired. To do so, I needed a flat head screwdriver to unscrew the tiny screws on the back of the clock. I asked hopefully if she had any tools. She didn't. So I got creative and used a dime instead. It worked, but it was so frustrating in that the screws were spring loaded so it was difficult to get purchase on them and with enough leverage to get the screws started. Ooph! After that was fixed, she needed to change out her license plate. You see where this is going...

It would have been so nice if she had a basic toolkit available. How empowering would that have been? I assembled, with the help of my amazing step-dad, my first tool kit when I went off to college.
So here I am, 14 years later, hoping that with some basic knowledge, the right tools, and a fearless attitude you will be rocking the home repair scene too! Let's not rely one someone else to fix our problems! When we have all the tools we need, nothing can stop us!

Below is my guide for all those future, present, and wannabe "handywomen" out there. Feel free to print off this list and add/subtract to it as you see fit. I've also put items in bold that are necessary for a successful kit. The rest is "bonus" items but are still super handy to have.

The Comprehensive HandyWoman Toolkit:

1. Tool bag

• this comes in super handy as it's a great place to store all your tools in one place, and it's portable!

2. Hammer

3. Screwdriver with interchangeable heads

• bonus if it's ratcheting as it makes manual jobs faster, easier, and puts less stress on your wrist. 

4. Metal tape measure

• a 12 ft retractable one should be just fine.

5. Cloth tape measure

• super handy when taking your own measurements and for measuring circumference of items.

6. Picture hanging kit

• usually comes with different sized nails, saw tooth hangers, eye hooks, wire, and a handy compartmentalized box.

7. Needle nose pliers

• just trust me on this one; they always come in handy!

8. Nail hole filler

9. Bubble level

10. Screws

• hardware stores often have a kit similar to the picture hanging kit, that includes different sized screws (short, long, wide, skinny).

11. S hooks

• another one of those "trust me they come in handy" things.

12. Nylon (or other synthetic fiber) rope

• good for all kinds of projects!

13. Jute twine

• handy for just about everything, especially tying back houseplants.

14. Bamboo skewers

• this one might seem weird, but they really come in handy for a lot of things: staking up houseplants or seedlings outside, marking off areas, fishing out lost items between your car seats, used as a stir stick, unclogging plastic nozzles (such as on caulking tubes), unclogging plastic hand pumps (soap or lotion), creating cute flags to stick into food (cupcakes, caprese salads, etc) or as plant markers. Really anything.

15. Silicone caulking

• great to use around sinks and tubs when the old stuff gets gross and old.

16. Rubber mallet

• I use mine all the time! Perfect for times when a hammer is too much like putting together furniture you don't want damaged, or really any time you need a hammer but you don't want to damage what you're hammering.  

17. Electric drill with bits

• this is kind of a bonus item as you could get by without one, but trust me, it will make your life easier. 

18. Exacto knife

19. Work gloves

• because safety first!

20. Heavy duty scissors

21. Electrical tape

22. Electrical wire nuts

23. Wire strippers

24. Wrench

25. Allan key set

26. 3M strips

27. Grounded extension cord

28. Power strip/surge protector

29. Zip ties

30. Wood glue/super glue

31. C clamps

32. Duct tape/painters tape

Ok, I know that is a lot, but if you have even half the list, you're in good shape! Don't worry if you can't get all these things at once, it can be expensive! I put my kit together over a few years and bought things as I needed them. If you have any questions about the list or want any brand recommendations feel free to email or DM me on Instagram: or @m.jaehomeco (email is in Bio on IG).